Flat Tappet, Cast Core Camshaft Coating ?

[Aubrey N Bruneau]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

That is probably not a coating. Looks like the work of Bret Conway, of Performance Research. I have not spoken to Bret, or seen him at a trade show, in several years.

I can tell you that if you're running a higher lift cam and a big valve (some of the 409 stuff is close to big block Chevy rectangle port stuff) you need about 30 pounds more on the seat and about 50 pounds more open to control a modern Stock Eliminator lobe.

That's him !
Thanks for replying, Alan.
Are you saying that nobody else does this cam "prep" ? I know it was expensive
( might as well have bought a steel billet core ).

.500" net lift at the valve.
As I had mentioned in a post quite some time ago... After shattering tool steel retainers a couple times.. I contacted my guy at Comp. I gave him the lobe number.
He asked what RPM does it see. I told him peak HP at 6600, shift at 7000, through traps at 7250.
He got back to me...
"You can't rev that lobe" !
me... "That's what I've been trying to tell ya'" !

HEE HEE !
Yes, we had a chuckle about that ( a costly one for me )

So, new cam has same duration @ .050", 2 degrees less @ .200", and 2 degrees more @ .020" ( checking clearance... seat ). The "adjustment" is on the closing ramp of the intake lobe.
Exhaust side never caused a problem, which is good, because I have no piston-to-valve clearance !

I will heed your advice, and add some spring pressure. However, I don't think I'll do tool steel retainers again.